Purpose of my Reform: I, Frederick Douglass, strive for the equality of all individuals here in the United States, and to see an end brought to the darkest part of our history, slavery. As an abolitionist, a martyr and now a free black man, I stand as a representative to the cruelties of slavery, as I have witnessed and been subjected to them firsthand. No creature should be subjected to the horror and humiliation of whippings, to long days working endlessly in a field, to be stripped of their own humanity and forced to live amongst and work for those who enjoy the basic rights they have been denied. No one deserves to be "broken in body, soul and spirit." I hope to end this blight upon our society and improve the conditions of life for not only those living now, but for all of posterity. Education: I received a very basic education while I lived in Baltimore at 8 years old. It was here that I learned how to read and was first exposed to the words “abolition” and “abolitionism.” However, only after seven years living there I was relocated once more, this time as a slave. My education was only furthered through my own strong interest in reading. Successes: I traveled this country far and wide in hopes of exposing new minds to my cause. I have made many speeches of my firsthand experiences with slavery. These speeches I made all over the world, from the United States to Europe. I also went further to publish my own auto-biography, in order to further educate people of the horrors of slavery. Later I published a four page weekly in New York called the North Star.
What I Ask of the Government: I ask for legislative and presidential support to end this destructive monster that is slavery. I ask them to use American documents to support this plight, such as the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. I believe that these documents can be used to integrate my people into society as equals so that they can reap the same benefits as any white man. With this support, especially under Andrew Jackson, I believe that we may be able to strike a compromise with the Southerners in order to eventually rid our country of this evil.
References:
William Lloyd Garrison - Publisher of the abolitionist newsletter, the Liberator. Fellow abolitionist, although more of an extremist than myself. Samuel H. Davis- Another abolitionist that called upon Northern Blacks to help in our fight against inequality.
Abner A. Frances- Helped lead the National Convention of Colored Men in Buffalo to rally supporters for the abolition and eventual freedom of Blacks in the United States. Sources:
"Frederick Douglass". PBS.org. 2/23/10 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html. "Timeline of Frederick Douglass and Family". Buffalo University. 2/23/10 <http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/hwny-douglass-family.html>.
Frederick Douglass
1818-1895
Purpose of my Reform:
I, Frederick Douglass, strive for the equality of all individuals here in the United States, and to see an end brought to the darkest part of our history, slavery. As an abolitionist, a martyr and now a free black man, I stand as a representative to the cruelties of slavery, as I have witnessed and been subjected to them firsthand. No creature should be subjected to the horror and humiliation of whippings, to long days working endlessly in a field, to be stripped of their own humanity and forced to live amongst and work for those who enjoy the basic rights they have been denied. No one deserves to be "broken in body, soul and spirit." I hope to end this blight upon our society and improve the conditions of life for not only those living now, but for all of posterity.
Education:
I received a very basic education while I lived in Baltimore at 8 years old. It was here that I learned how to read and was first exposed to the words “abolition” and “abolitionism.” However, only after seven years living there I was relocated once more, this time as a slave. My education was only furthered through my own strong interest in reading.
Successes:
I traveled this country far and wide in hopes of exposing new minds to my cause. I have made many speeches of my firsthand experiences with slavery. These speeches I made all over the world, from the United States to Europe. I also went further to publish my own auto-biography, in order to further educate people of the horrors of slavery. Later I published a four page weekly in New York called the North Star.
What I Ask of the Government:
I ask for legislative and presidential support to end this destructive monster that is slavery. I ask them to use American documents to support this plight, such as the Declaration of Independence and Constitution. I believe that these documents can be used to integrate my people into society as equals so that they can reap the same benefits as any white man. With this support, especially under Andrew Jackson, I believe that we may be able to strike a compromise with the Southerners in order to eventually rid our country of this evil.
References:
William Lloyd Garrison - Publisher of the abolitionist newsletter, the Liberator. Fellow abolitionist, although more of an extremist than myself.
Samuel H. Davis- Another abolitionist that called upon Northern Blacks to help in our fight against inequality.
Abner A. Frances- Helped lead the National Convention of Colored Men in Buffalo to rally supporters for the abolition and eventual freedom of Blacks in the United States.
Sources:
"Frederick Douglass". PBS.org. 2/23/10 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1539.html.
"Timeline of Frederick Douglass and Family". Buffalo University. 2/23/10 <http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/hwny-douglass-family.html>.